It’s almost GCSE results day

The summer has flown by and it’s almost GCSE results day. A first for our family and a new learning curve in my parenting journey. Check out my thoughts.

The last few nights I have had sleepless nights. Not because of restless toddlers or unsettled babies but because results day is less than a week away. When it comes to being a worrying mother that is just not my style. Yes I care and adore my children but I am a real believer that they need to find their own desired path in life. With a little bit of help and guidance from me. I’m really not sure what I’m worrying about what’s done is done and whatever the results on 24th August, I will be immensely proud of my 16 year old.

Daily I read (I mean skim) articles of how unbelievably hard the new style graded GCSE are this year. How they are having to adjust the grade boundaries accordingly to prevent a plummet in this year’s results. T worked her little socks off for an unclear target that neither the school or education board could seem to clearly translate for their students.

As a parent, I feel she has been in a year of trail Guinea pigs. I know sometimes things need to change but selfishly I just prefer if it hadn’t been this year. The old A-G system seemed to work with a clear indication of top marks. Bringing in a numbers system immediately suggests to people that 1 would be top. Well, we’ve all seen those No.1 mum/daughter/son cards. But no number one is in fact the lower grade with 9 being the highest a double A** I believe, oops see what I’ve done there converted the new grading back to the old workable one. As everyone is bound to ask what’s does that 7 mean then!

Oh dear, I seem to have gone off on a tangent. The reason for this post is just to say whatever the outcome on Thursday 24th August. The results are meant to be and will shape you for the future. Those grades you need for your preferred course were insight, but if something else gets in the way we will adjust accordingly. Life is all about twists and turns, I mean who really know what they want to do with the rest of their lives at 16?

T you are a clever kid and will go far in life.

So as the day comes we will drop you off and await your results. Once you are home we will go celebrate you being you with tons loads of pizza. Well that’s not if you don’t ditch us to go and spend time with your friends.

This just goes to show that every stage of parenting has something to worry about, doesn’t it? I hope they do really well, but you are so right in your pin above; if they keep working hard at what they love, exams are not the be-all and end-all. Best of luck for this week!

I didn’t learn in an efficient way or make the most of my intelligence until final year in university. Some of us grow into education, my results at 16 and 18 are no reflection on what I went on to achieve. Good luck to your daughter, I hope she feels proud of what she achieved when she picks up her results. She’ll go far with a supportive mum behind her – love what you’ve written!

I get that it needed to change, but to me it would have made more sense to start rolling out the new curriculum to first years and the others still take the old exam and at least that way. the ones taking the new exam had been taught to it
Debbie